March 24, 2022

Colonoscopy appointments came to a standstill between March and June of 2020, leading to significant challenges with scheduling with backlogged appointments and a regional hold on elective procedures. Endoscopists faced a much lower capacity for postponed procedures, and only patients showing symptoms were prioritized for appointments. In this study, published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a...

Testing positive for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations increases the likelihood of developing breast and ovarian cancers before age 70. Prognoses and recurrence rates for individuals with these mutations have been substantially worse than those of patients with breast and ovarian cancer who test negative for these mutations. For those living with BRCA1/2, the ever-present risk...

Though African American women have a lower incidence of breast cancer, they experience higher rates of more aggressive subtypes, increased mortality, and poorer outcomes compared to white women. Additionally, treatment disparities persist, with African American women having lower access to care and poorer treatment response.  Historically, genetic research and clinical trials have included mostly white...

Black women with breast cancer face earlier disease onset, more aggressive disease, and higher mortality rates. Additionally, Black women may deal with racial bias from health care providers and treatment plans that fall below the standard of care. Place of death can be a metric for high-quality care at the end of life as hospital...